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Which water pressure gauges are designed to be permanently installed in water line? I assume such a gauge is different from from a "test gauge". If a gauge has a small male threaded connector and doesn't say "test gauge", can we assume it is designed for permanent installation?
A gauge is a gauge differing only by size, accuracy, range, dampening and other features. Then you can go digital. A test gauge is likely more accurate and calibrated.
A permanent gauge should really be mounted on a shutoff valve so when the Bourden tube cracks it can be shutoff to stop the leak. They do make gauges with pinholes in the input passage so they do not bounce around so much as the pressure varies. Or liquid filled to reduce vibration. Or you can buy a nipple with a restricter in it for a regular guage.
The Bourden tube is normally brass or bronze of some type. Stainless steel is also common.
The tube may be fine but the gear works can be gummed up by spider webs and rust.
A good gauge should never have a stop pin at either end of the needle travel.
Bill D
Hence my question is: Which gauges have the feature of being designed to be continually under pressure ? - as opposed to being designed to be momentarily under pressure when temporarily attached for testing purposes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ole Anderson
I am not sure that any gauge would not be designed to be continuously under pressure. Can you further detail your use and the gauge you may have in mind? Of course a gauge measuring pressure of a corrosive or very hot or very cold liquid would need to be designed for that purpose.
Pretty much any gauge that has a high enough reading will do it. Just go to the borg and get a water pump gauge
Ok, but I'm not sure that any gauge would be designed to be continuously under pressure.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ole Anderson
I want to install a gauge upstream of a pressure regulator on the main water line to a house. If that's not advisable, I want to make a provision to temporarily install a gauge there to test water pressure.Quote:
Can you further detail your use and the gauge you may have in mind?
Stephen
Look for an Ashcroft, 2-1/2" to 4", stainless steel ,glycerin filled gauge, in the range you need. You need to determine if you want bottom mount, or back mount.
This gauge can stay under pressure for the rest of your life.
Other than when they are being calibrated, I have had Ashcroft's, US Gauge ,and Helicoid's, at work, under pressure ,since the early 70's when the were installed.
"Test" gauge is a term. Generally it will be a more resolute gauge, perhaps with a higher accuracy spec, with customer feature, such as MIN/MAX memory needles, defined areas of interest,or suppressed and elevated zero's. Stuff like that. It's still a basic gauge inside.
If you are installing a gauge up stream of a pressure regulator, I would install a tee and put a shut off valve in the tee so I could remove the gauge when ever I wanted.
I would make sure that any automatic valves such as a washing machine, dishwasher or lawn sprinkler system does not produce any pressure spikes in system. The Bourdon tube will help dampen out any pressure spikes or water hammer.
If you are just curious about your pressure, just get a cheap 0-100 psi gauge designed to mount on a hose bib.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Water-So...2-4L/203449559
$9 at Home Depot, not everything in life needs to be so complicated.
If you do this, mount it on one are of a Y connector(with the little valves) so you can vent the pressure. When you want to take it off.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ole Anderson
We put a whole house pressure regulator in and only occasionally need to check on it ( i.e every couple of years I get curious)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Cutler
I agree on the Ashcroft gauges. WGG is also pretty good. Used to use both of these in extreme environments that no gauge survived long in, but these did the best.
Here is one that will keep track of pressure surges and mounts to a hose bib. https://www.zoro.com/winters-max-poi...lf/i/G7490086/ https://www.zoro.com/static/cms/prod...o89xhcpEx-.JPG
100 psi gauge would not last here as city pressure can be over 130 psi depending on your elevation. Neighbor put a Pressure Reducing valve in to drop his house to 80 psi. I changed the pressure tank on the hot water tank to double the size, two different solutions to same problem.
As to the gauge select once at twice regular pressure as a starting point. Once you get over 50 operating psi(approximately) then you should pick a gauge where the operating pressure will be in the 50-75% of gauge range. Valve in line with the gauge is always handy to be able to change gauge as needed.
A pressure gauge should be capable of reading roughly double the normal operating pressure to be most accurate. So that 200PSi gauge should be used to measure around 100 PSi. Which seems the perfect range for home water supplies.
Bill D.
Can you explain how changing the size of the pressure tank changed the pressure?Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron Selzer
Yeah, we don't have extreme ambient environments, other than radiation, and that doesn't really have an effect on analog gauges.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Rozmiarek
Typically a stainless steel gauge will be for liquid process. Brass for gasses, and fire systems, and Monel for sea water. We have some special types for sulfuric, and hydrochloric acid. I haven't found any that last very long with sodium hypochlorite.
That's a nice gauge in your followup post. I need to recharge and reset my well pump tank, and I can screw that right onto the hose connection at the tank. Have to see if they have one in a 0-100psig range.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Cutler
The extreme environment I'm speaking of is farm sprayer and applicator. Constant vibration of the machine, usually in a rolling dust cloud situation, a variety of chemicals and pH. Found phosphorous fertilizer, 10-34-0 to be the worst usually, it crystalized with practically no reason and just destroyed things. Gauges had to be reasonably priced to so that they could be disposable, I didn't mention that but both of those makes are.
In the boiler room at the plant I was at there was a big 12" gauge for the air pressure (normally 80-110 psi). It was installed in 1939 and still working when I left in 2012.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Cutler
One problem with a permanently installed water gauge is freezing in the winter. The expansion will can damage the Bourdon tube and wreck the gauge.
-Tom
My pressure gauge on my water supply has been working for 50 years now. Never had to replace it
You've never worked in industry. Gauges are designed to be under pressure 24/7/365.25Quote:
Originally Posted by Stephen Tashiro
Go ahead and install it where convenient. Attach a valve to the line, and the gauge to that.Quote:
I want to install a gauge upstream of a pressure regulator on the main water line to a house. If that's not advisable, I want to make a provision to temporarily install a gauge there to test water pressure.
My Dad put a used gauge on a outdoor faucet around 1975. It is still there and working 45 years latter. No idea how old it was when installed, probably not more then ten years old then. the guage on the air compressor is at most 1950 or older.
Bill D
TomQuote:
Originally Posted by Tom Stenzel
Here in New England, any process instrumentation that is outside is heat traced and in an insulated Hoffman Enclosure, with a plexiglass door.
One winter, about twenty years ago, the Long Island Sound Temps, in the Vicinity of Niantic Bay, got cold enough to freeze standing salt water. Lot's of gauges had to be replaced. Condenser efficiency for the turbine was amazing the following spring. The water stayed cold into July.:eek:
SteveQuote:
Originally Posted by Steve Rozmiarek
Ashcrofts have an installed snubber in the stem. Sometimes you can just take it out, as that is where the restriction develops. Never played with fertilizer, so it might not work like it works on salt water.